Have a Little Faith
by DirkSamuelsMusicTheory
Summary: When college sophomore Jay Lee, dies a ghastly death on her brother's birthday, she doesn't ever expect to see the sunlight again. She'd expected an eternity in either Heaven or Hell...not a life reincarnated as a girl with a huge forehead in a backward universe! OC, matureSakura! R&R?


**A/N: Warning: un-beta'd and written from a poor student who likes the Naruto series. :) I hope you like my go at an OC character. Please R&R! Thanks :)**

* * *

Lemon scented air, filled with vibrating music, laughter, arguing and bitching and-ugh.

She hated this place.

Unless you suddenly couldn't breathe and were at risk of dying a horrible, miserable death, work had to be the worst thing to wake up to on a Saturday morning._ In the summer_.

Ninety degrees of summer.

Slick with sweat and frustration, Jay Lee, a college sophomore aiming to be nurse, worked at a grey _Shell_ gas station in Chicago, a city of nothing worth anything more than high taxes and the flashy downtown skyline.

She hated her job. All eight hours of it.

The job of course brought in a colorful variety of different faces and springy personalities every five minutes.

And okay, maybe she didn't start all _that_ early, not even morning early...but two O' Clock was damn well when people started to move around on a _Saturday_.

A fan blew raggedly at her side, shaking with fluctuating noise as hot air pulsed repeatedly onto her incurably red face. From time to time (well, actually in the space of three hours this afternoon, really...) she wondered if the burning of her sunburn would subside in time for the first semester of school.

Of course it would fade, but she rather liked torturing herself with her misfortune.

With a neon yellow, pinstriped work shirt accompanied with a flat chest and thick glasses, the poor woman had been harassed more times then she could count- although the treatment may have been a result of her poor social skills in action.

She should have just worked at _Jewels_ or _Cosco or_ something...stacking boxes.

Well, besides her lack of people skills, Jay's job just melted the good, and dearest fun out of you.

She couldn't smoke here (for obvious reasons unless she was suicidal). Give anyone an hour in that hell and they'd mutate into a zombie. This zombie, was the type known to steal the occasional pack of Skittles from its lovely spot on the shelf.

Yeah, because she was badass and hadn't been caught yet.

_Score._

Anyway, time dragged like a bitch in her little compartment at the cash register. With only a little T.V (a heavy clunky, 80's version) and the owner's lazy dog for comfort, hours just melted away into one another, dripping into a pool of wastefulness with almost no paycheck for reward... as she filed her nails to the stubs with the cashier key.

The dog, a Pug (who was cute in an ugly way-which probably gave it it's charm) just slept most of the time. Or pissed on the floor.

It's name was _Leo._ And while that was a cute name and all for a dog, in the process of learning what type of dog treats he preferred most, (the spoiled brat) she'd discovered her boss was helplessly obsessed with Leonardo DiCaprio.

In fact, her Boss called it _love_ but really...There were posters in the backroom to _prove_ it.

Obsession, that's what it was. And that just made life a little harder- trying not to stare at the glossy sheets, because holy Jesus... Sometimes it felt like the things were watching her.

Jay sighed and dragged out her cheap flip phone from the cottony depths of her pockets. The fat thing was _ancient. _Lasted her three years, it did.

A glow of yellow and orange rested sweetly on the shallow contours of her face as she twisted in her seat, smiling at her phone and completely ignoring the unusually picturesque Chicago sunset.

Her hair fell loose from its weak hair elastic and unraveled freely over her sunburnt shoulders and back.

Clicking the volume button, her screen lit up a faint blue and presented the time, _8:56 PM _accompanied by an assault of message alerts.

"...the hell?"

'_Michael's birthday!' _Was once again vibrating to a familiar game tune in her hand.

Face suddenly creased- one that eventually relaxed, flushed. Okay, so maybe she'd almost forgotten about her brother's birthday. Ha! No biggie, she'd handle this shit once she locked up.

Ah, locking up was only a good sixty-four minutes away!

And she was so _bored._

Well, she'd be fine, at least with the birthday situation. She'd just stop by a _Border's_ or something and get him some comics. He liked comics right?

She knew he liked a lot of things.

When she occasionally came home from apartment (located near her University with whatever energy left from the day) He'd always either be playing soccer or nerding out on his Lord of the Ring collection (of books and movies, _Jesus_) or _comics. _

Her brother was so _predictable._

She grinned. Yeah Michael would like it for sure! She'd get him something nerdy and popular for that type of crowd.

Carefully, she set the phone down and looked below the counter at the dog tied up at her feet. He looked as bored as her. Sadly, she realized in her little stand, she wasn't all that different from the mutt. She relied on her boss to keep her hired (so she could _barely _support herself) and...seemed to always have her thoughts roaming on depressing subjects while at work. What the hell? She wasn't a dog!

For thirty minutes Jay stared mindlessly at the security monitor and ignored the occasional guttural moan from the Pug. He wanted attention, yes, but Leo sure wouldn't be getting it tonight. She'd fed him already. He was fine.

Glancing behind her, she stared out into the dark summer night view with stars blurred by the haze of smoke and the smear of a darker cobalt blue in the sky. Cars drove past with blaring headlights and cool shadows. It was colder at night, more pleasant- so windows were rolled down and hands were surfing the breeze.

The fan behind her abruptly shut off, scaring her for a few moments. She'd been used to the noise and without it, suddenly the gas station seemed a little more empty. A little more _scary_. The hum of electricity reverberating from the collection of fridges and coolers brought in an unwanted feeling of loneliness. She was suddenly happy for the quiet but reliable company Leo presented her with.

And then there was the sound of heavy tires crunching on warm gravel.

Jay glanced out the window to see at a shiny black Benz, once that was now rolling into one of the gas lots with ease.

And out came a tall blonde, all dolled up in pretty clothes and sleek heels, strutting her way to the door.

For a moment, Jay found her own brown hair absolutely lacking compared to the other woman's gloss. Though the flash of insecurity left as quickly as it came.

The entrance rung as copper bells shook on the frame of the door.

Turning back into her regular position on the stool, she barely caught the flare of her phone lighting up again on her counter.

_10:00 PM _It read clearly in stretched numbers.

"Finally." She sighed in relief. Her shift was pretty much over.

"Excuse me." Red lips turned down into a naturally pouty frown as pretty, blue eyes framed by thick lashes, charmed her.

Oh, right. The blonde.

"Sorry," The awesome cashier lady scratched her neck tiredly, "what would you like?"

Blondie drew out a fifty and a twenty from her purse. "Premium gas and some Virginia Slims."

Pinching her lips together, Jay muttered, "I need to see your I.D?" _  
_

Blondie frowned. "Alright." And chucked the damn thing at cashier.

"Aaalright, thanks. Here's your change." Someone is_ in a catty mood._

The blonde slipped the change and ID card swiftly back into her purse.

Sighing Jay Lee watched her prance off. Okay, maybe not prance off but you get the point.

Jay was tired. And she needed a break from life. A _spa day would be nice._

_"Can someone please help me?" _Her attention was once again brought to the pretty blonde.

Now, while watching the twenty-three year old beauty struggle with the pump was entertaining, Lee still felt a bit of pity for the poor girl. Girls were supposed to stick up for each other, right?

With a well deserved face-palm, the aspiring nurse (and smartest girl in the area, literally) decided to do some good for the community.

"Gosh, sometimes I'm too nice."

And so, Jay got off her ass to clear up buisness...after setting the key straight into the lock of the fucking entrance with a sleepy, yawning Leo in hand.

Well, once the lights were taken care of and shit...she helped the poor woman pump gas into her beautiful, shiny Mercedes Benz.

She watched the woman drive away in her car as she blew kisses to her, smiling the entire way out.

Then she dropped Leo off at her boss' house.

* * *

So...apparently _Borders _no longer existed.

As Jay Lee stood nervously on the edge of a rotting curb with some other suspicious looking people...she hoped to God that he had some amazing plan out there for her. Really, she was starting to feel some pity for herself.

She just wanted to be home already with a present in hand for her little brother.

The girl could already see the disappointment in his big, adorable, brown eyes if she came home empty-handed.

The dorky kid would be disappointed in her. He'd probably say it was okay, brush it off even, but...AGahhhh, she knew he'd know she'd forgotten.

Jay felt _guilty_. Why had she waited until the last minute for her idiot brother's gift? This was so stupid! The situation, her...everything.

She was going to get him some comics!

Turning around with a rather desperate expression on her face, Jay spotted a girl younger then her, playing a game on her _smartphone. _

_There _were no buds in her ears, so she actually seemed quite approachable compared to the unsocial group of people spread out a little further away from the bench.

Most looked as exaughsted as her.

Eying the device with some sort of hope, she put on a rather convincing smile (she hoped) onto her face and tried to ignore the fact that she had...no people skills. Handling people had always been a problem for her.

"Hi," she willed the girl to look at her, "Thats a cute phone case!" She started off casually, heart racing. Stuffing her hands into her pockets, Jay tried to ignore how ridiculous she looked like in her _Shell_ button up shirt.

Really she wanted to just burn the thing and win the lottery.

The girl shifted in her seat, looked purposely around Jay and stared at the bus sign in front of them before frowning. Then she went back to her phone, unbothered by the other woman's presence.

Jay visibly ruffled at this, insulted.

"Um, hey." She started off again, not believing she'd just been ignored, "Can I borrow your phone?" This time it was said in a louder voice. "I really need to Google Map something- and I'm not sure where to go from here..."

The other people, who were previously either scratching their crotch or staring off into space with depressed expressions on their faces, turned to her curiously.

A few even jabbed one another, (close friends obviously, making fun of her).

"Alright, okay. Well then...do you know if there's any bookstores around here?" She waved off the onlookers and continued her luck with the unresponsive teen. Shrug.

No answer. _Bitch._

Jay sighed.

This sucked.

Weakly, she sat down on the crummy curb and waited for the bus to take her home.

No one _ever _listened to her.

Fingers tightened into a fist. She was angry and frustrated and goddamnit! She was hurt.

Her bra itched at her back.

This really sucked.

A skinny emo-ish guy, with a JanSport backpack paused from his conversation with another teen guy to spare a glance at her. After looking the woman over, he gave her one those, 'I'd like to say something, but maybe I just won't because it saves me face,' looks.

Jay fortunately (in the middle of her moping and falling back into the grass, helplessly) caught the look. They shared a few beats of _she didn't know what_ together before his shoes soundlessly padded off the pavement and into the rustling grass, towards her.

He was a mere foot away from her, cooly looking down on her as the sky stretched vastly over his form, before she asked, "Do you know where I can go?" her voice sounded strained even to her own ears.

He knelt down, reaching her height and tucked his iPod away into his jean pockets with painted fingers. Although, the long wires and buds hung from the crook of his arm blasting Michael Jackson's _Thriller; _she was stunned into silence.

"Maybe I can help. " His voice came out strong in the eerie quiet that had ascended over them.

"You...can?" She asked in a small voice.

She was trapped looking into his lovely, deep eyes.

"What do you need help finding?" He smiled warmly and his cool exterior was abruptly shed.

"Books...nerdy...brother..." She trailed off, dazed as her glasses slipped a little down the bridge of her nose.

"Well if you're looking for light reading, I know a place." He winked cutely.

"Er...light reading?" Jay felt rather slow.

"Oh! Sorry," he pinched his reddening cheek, startling her, "It's...I guess like if you're looking for a novel shop and a manga shop fused together then the one a couple of blocks that way should be fine."

Jay tried to close her undoubtably open mouth.

"Manga? I'm sorry but I don't know what that is." She frowned a little.

"Er... I'm not sure if its your style, but I guess it's like comics...but cooler. There are interesting thoughts and meanings behind the stories." He shrugged."You mentioned a nerdy brother somewhere in your vague description." He lifted his brow teasingly.

Jay raised a brow. This was just...wow, so _lucky._

Her brother was obsessed with comics. He'd probably be obsessed with this Manga thing too!

"Oh thank you! What's the address?" She gushed appreciatively.

"Do you need me to write it down?" He asked politely, eyes twinkling kindly in the yellow pool of street light.

"That'd be nice!"

He shrugged off his backpack.

The swift sound of a zipper was then heard as he pulled out what looked like a book from one of the smaller pouches. In his other hand was a black pen. Opening the book, (no- Ah, this was probably what a manga was) he scribbled something in on the inner cover. His lips tilted upwards at her scrutiny.

"Here, you can have this. It's not my favorite manga but it's pretty damn close."

Jay felt him press the manga into her hands, the soft glossy paper curled at her padded fingers. "It's a series, make sure to buy them in order!" He warned, kindly.

She flushed again. He was attractive and probably around her age, maybe. "W-wow, thank you! This is much more then I expected!" She stuttered, overwhelmed by the stranger's generosity.

She almost felt like hugging the guy.

A sigh of sound exploded next to them, huge and looming and suffocating.

His bus had pulled up. _Shit._

He gave her another beautiful smile, temporarily ignoring his ride as people filed on, including the guy he'd been talking to earlier. The exhaust produced by the bus, acidly filled her nostrils, making her eyes water.

"Your brother will love Manga, don't sweat it any further."

Again, Jay smiled genuinely, "Thanks!" she exclaimed, feeling somewhat like a repetitive parrot.

His bicep flexed as he pushed off his leg to stand up, hovering over her, "Take care." He mummered after slinging his black JanSport bag over his shoulder.

She stood up now, complitating how to say her thanks.

He turned around and left.

_He's so...nice. _She could hardly believe it.

She moved a few feet back, slowly walking away- although her eyes were pinned to his back and the lovely cloud print logo'd across it. It splashed a lovely scarlet against the dark cloth.

Her eyes traveled across to the advertisement sign, pinned on the side of the bus saying, _Every day 155,000 people die. Be healthy with Vitamin C packets! _

She watched for a moment longer, as the slim guy made his way up the bus steps and payed the fare. The doors squeaked closed as he turned around to meet her wide-eyed gaze. His pale face reflected off the window making Jay feel warm inside.

Not wanting to look like she was interested (she kinda was since he'd been so sweet) her feet automatically continued slowly down the dark side street.

Her grip on the manga tightened.

And before she could really feel all sorts of stupid, she was standing before a warmly lit shop. A _Manga shop. _The colors swum before her eyes making her feel dizzy.

She took in a shallow breath.

In the glass window stood an advertisement for a series called _Naruto._ Jay blankly took in the orange brightness of the blonde cartoon character's face before shrugging at the cardboard cut out. It matched her book.

She was here, might as well go in.

It took her a few moments to shake off the sudden feeling of hesitance. She wanted to get this over with. This wasn't the time to dawdle!

Summer had never felt so cold.

And so Jay walked into the shop filled with a mystery waiting to be found.

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**A/N: My first OC Naruto fic! I'm really excited! Please R&R so I can know whether or not to continue it. XD**


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